Science
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
- Median pay
- $101,110
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
ProgramsForeign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
CIP16.01
376 colleges offer Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 376
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $51,171
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $18,884
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 119
- Associate's
- 84
- Bachelor's
- 376
- Master's
- 140
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 9
- Doctoral
- 76
- First professional
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 56
What it covers
About Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
A general program that focuses on one or more modern foreign languages that is not specific as to the name of the language(s) studied; that is otherwise undifferentiated; or that introduces students to language studies at the basic/elementary level.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 16.01.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 16.01.
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
- Linguistics
- Language Interpretation and Translation
- Comparative Literature
- Applied Linguistics
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 119 | $57,3674 yrs after · 4 colleges | $20,5003 colleges |
| Associate's | 84 | $57,4874 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 376 | $51,1714 yrs after · 88 colleges | $18,88468 colleges |
| Master's | 140 | $81,3784 yrs after · 2 colleges | $50,4682 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 76 | $84,4784 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
| First professional | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 56 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Durham, NC · Private nonprofit · 16 graduates
$88,098
debt not reported
- 2
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofit · 10 graduates
$78,746
debt not reported
- 3
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · 25 graduates
$76,993
debt not reported
- 4
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public · 77 graduates
$76,724
debt $13,756
- 5
Lexington, VA · Public · 16 graduates
$73,971
debt $22,132
- 6
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public · 60 graduates
$68,263
debt $20,500
- 7
Texas A & M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public · 11 graduates
$66,241
debt not reported
- 8
East Lansing, MI · Public · 20 graduates
$65,667
debt not reported
- 9
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$65,574
debt $13,295
- 10
Stony Brook, NY · Public · 44 graduates
$64,547
debt $18,750
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Science
Transportation Planners
- Median pay
- $101,110
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
Education
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $79,350
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Doctoral or professional degree
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Instructing
Education
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $78,760
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Doctoral or professional degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Instructing
- Writing
Education
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Median pay
- $72,040
- Outlook
- Little or no change
Bachelor's degree
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
Arts, design and media
Interpreters and Translators
- Median pay
- $60,170
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
More in Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics841 colleges
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics324 colleges
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics269 colleges
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics160 colleges
- American Sign Language138 colleges
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics136 colleges
- Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics83 colleges
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other45 colleges
Questions about Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
How many colleges offer Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services at these degree levels: certificate (119 colleges), associate's (84 colleges), bachelor's (376 colleges), master's (140 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (9 colleges), doctoral (76 colleges), first professional (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (56 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services earn $51,171 a year four years after finishing, across 88 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services graduates earn the most?
Duke University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services: $88,098 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.